


Heartbeat

by Lexys23



Category: Fifth Harmony (Band), Shawn Mendes (Musician)
Genre: Child Death, Each Chapter is Different, F/F, F/M, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Teenage Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-07-05 19:15:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15870015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lexys23/pseuds/Lexys23
Summary: Lauren's favorite thing was her heartbeat.





	1. Heartbeat #1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lauren's worst day is Camila's best.

****Camila Cabello, 19, places her things on her table. After an eventful year, she was excited to have a calm year. She sat down, looking around the classroom. Her eyes stopped at a student she hadn't seen before. The other girl was sitting at the back, her things on her table. Her eyes were glued to her phone, staring at something.

"Turn to page seven," she heard the professor say, getting both her and the girl's attention.

Camila saw green eyes flicker towards her before she turned to the teacher.

Camila copied the notes while keeping an eye on the girl. The other girl would turn to her, causing Camila to look away, her cheeks red.

She quickly packed her things when the professor dismissed the class. She was about to bolt out when she stopped abruptly.

Someone was standing in front of her.

"Hi," the other girl greeted, a small smile on her face.

"H-hey," Camila responded.

"So, I started this class a month late and I was wondering if you'd mind helping me catch up?"

"Professor Cowell let you miss a month?"

The other girl shrugged. "Yeah, but I have to be ready for the test next month or I'll fail. So what do you say?"

"O-okay," Camila answered, nodding her head. Her eyes were glued on the other girl's green eyes.

The girl took out her phone and handed it to Camila. "I'm Lauren. Lauren Jauregui."

"Camila Cabello."

Lauren froze, a frown appearing on her face, before it was replaced with a smile. She got her phone back. "I-I'll text you."

Camila watched her leave, having a feeling Lauren wasn't going to text her.

-

Lauren did text her.

-

Camila laughed as she listened to Lauren's story.

"There was so much blood. Like, so much."

"Was his nose broken?"

Lauren shook her head. "No, but I did give myself a concussion."

Camila shook her head. She looked at the paper in front of Lauren. "I think we pushed it enough, turn it around."

Lauren grinned and turned her test over, seeing a big B plus on top. "I get to stay in the class!"

Camila squealed and hugged the older girl. Lauren just smiled back.

-

"Mami!"

"Karla, what did I say about screaming?" Sinu Cabello asked, walking towards the doorway. "Lauren!"

Lauren smiled. "Hey Sinu."

Camila frowned, watching her mother hug her friend, her  _crush,_  like they were long time friends.

"Lolo!" Sofi shouted, running towards the green eyed girl, who just picked her up.

"Soso!"

"No, you're Lamp. My Lamp," Sofi giggled, squishing Lauren's cheeks. The older girl just laughed and kissed Sofi's cheek.

When Camila got Lauren alone, she questioned how her family knew her.

"We've met before, when Sofi, when she had her surgery," Lauren answered, a small smile on her face.

Camila accepted the answer. And Sofi ran to them, mad at Camila for stealing her Lamp.

-

Lauren was a mystery to Camila. Not a badass type of mystery, the girl was in no way a badass. She too giggly and cuddly to have any coolness in her.

No, she was a keep to herself type of mystery. Lauren had been to Camila's house multiple times and Camila had never been to Lauren's home.

And there was that time she disappeared. It was a random day. She didn't answer her phone. Didn't text back. Camila was worried, but Lauren returned communication the next day as if nothing happened. Camila questioned it, but Lauren didn't answer.

Lauren's best fiends, Normani and Lucy seemed to know something but weren't telling the other girls.

Camila let it go. Lauren was allowed to have her secrets.

Lauren disappeared a month later, for a week. Camila didn't think of anything, as she was celebrating. It had been a year since Sofi's successful surgery. Camila didn't really think much of things.

Birthdays came and went. The girls got drunk on Dinah and Camila's 21st birthday, all except Lauren.

"C'mon Lo, you haven't had fun since-" Normani cut herself off before she said too much, sobering up enough.

Lauren acted like she heard nothing, drinking her water and watching her friends.

Lauren's surprise party was held at Lucy's house. It slightly bugged Camila that she hadn't been to Lauren's home, but seeing Lauren so happy made her forget her annoyance.

-

Camila decided to question Lauren. She asked Lauren why she never went to her home. After two weeks of questioning, Lauren gave in.

She drove Camila to her house and let her in. Camila was in awe. The home was homey. It felt warm and safe. Pictures were all over the walls. Lauren with her parents, with her sisters, with her brother.

"She's cute, who's that?" Camila asked, pointing to the picture of Lauren with her baby sister.

Lauren looked at it. There was a soft smile on her face. "Emily."

"How old is she? She has to be Sofi's age. Our sisters can be best friends too."

Lauren stared at Camila, a small smile on her face. "Emily isn't my sister."

"Oh," Camila answered, her eyes wide. "She's  _yours_?"

Lauren nodded her head, staring at the picture.. "Yeah, she was mine. I was fourteen when I found out I was pregnant. I was an idiot. I thought I was in love."

Camila felt her heart beat hard against her chest. "W-was?"

Lauren's watery eyes turned to Camila for just a second. In that second, Camila could see the pain in her eyes. "She was five. My mom, she was picking Emily up from my grandma's. I was excited to show her my test score for an exam she helped me study for. You should had seen her that night. She'd ask me questions, even though she didn't know what anything meant. She was so excited," Lauren stopped for a second. Camila could feel her tears stream down her face. "They were hit by a drunk driver. I-I remember getting the call. My mom and my  little girl were in the hospital. My mom, she was okay. A few scratched on her. But Em-Emily. They tried everything but she was brain dead. She hit her head during the impact."

"Lo," Camila whispered, wiping her tears.

"I froze. I couldn't breath. How could I? My baby, she was gone. The doctor told me about another little girl being a perfect matched for Emily's heart. I almost said no. I wanted to say no. But I thought about that girl's parents and how they'd feel like I did and I didn't want that. I said goodbye and they took her away. They gave her heart away so another little girl wouldn't die. That's how I know your parents. Your little sister has my daughter's heart."

Camila didn't know what to say. She stared at Lauren. Lauren's daughter was the reason her sister was alive. Camila's wish was Lauren's nightmare. Camila was stuck. Wishing for Lauren's daughter to still be alive meant for the death of her sister, and Camila didn't know what to do.

Lauren looked at Camila.

"Have listened to her heart?"

-

Lauren felt her hands shake, sitting in front of Sofi. The younger girl looked confused, looking at all the people around them. Lauren's family was there with Camila's. Their friends were with them. They all wanted to be their with Lauren.

Lauren was sitting in front of Sofi, a stethoscope in her hand.

"Why do you want to listen to my heart?" Sofi asked, turning to Lauren, who was frozen.

"I, uh," Lauren stuttered, before shaking her head. "I-I can't. I can't do this."

"Why?" Sofi asked, looking at Lauren with a small frown on her face.

"Lauren had a baby a few years ago. And she, she died," Camila explained, watching her best friend, "she gave you her heart."

Sofi's eyes widened. She looked at Lauren. "I have a part of Lolo in me?"

Camila nodded her head. "Yeah, and Lauren misses her daughter. Hearing her heart will make her feel better?"

Sofi took the stephoscope from Lauren's hands and placed it on the girl so they were in place for the older girl to hear. Sofi then place it on the right side of her chest. Camila smiled and corrected the little girl.

Lauren stared at Sofi's chest, tears in her eyes. She closed her eyes, before a sob was released.

Camila sat there while Lauren cried. She looked around to see tears in everyone's eyes.

Lauren moved the stethoscope from her ears and took a deep breath. She looked at Camila. "Thank you."

Camila smiled. "It's no problem."

Lauren let her family listen to the heartbeat.

-

Lauren laid in her bed with Camila. She closed her eyes.

_Lauren's heart was beating against her chest. She felt Taylor's hand on her back._

_"She's both going to be okay," Taylor whispered, rubbing Lauren's back._

_The older girl nodded her head. She shot up when the doctor walked up to them._

_The doctor turned to Lauren. "I'm sorry," he started._

_Lauren couldn't breath. She felt her chest close up, as her vision blurred._

_"-we did everything we could but the damage was too great-"_

_Taylor and Chris helped Lauren onto a chair._

_"-I know this is a hard time, but your daughter was a match to another little girl who is in need of a heart. I have to know if you are willing to donate her heart."_

_No. God no._

_Lauren bit her lip. She wanted to say no. She was going to say no._

_Her heart felt like it was ripped out of her chest. She felt lightheaded. Her world had just crashed around her._

_"Ms. Jauregui?"_

_Lauren looked up, the word no at the tip of her tongue. But she stopped herself. She felt destroyed, and that other girl's parents would feel like she did. She looked at the doctor. "O-okay."_

Lauren opened her eyes, tears in her eyes. She looked at her side to see the picture of herself and Emily on her birth.

"Love you Emmy," Lauren whispered, smiling at the picture. She closed her eyes, Emily's heartbeats in her ears.

-

Lauren smiled. "What are you mad about?" She was looking down at the little girl that her arms crossed over her chest. She was glaring up at Lauren.

The small girl pouted, shaking her head.

"Tell me," Lauren told the girl, picking her up.

"Eyes," she answered, patting Lauren's cheek.

"What about them?"

"I want 'em," the girl said, shaking Lauren's head.

Lauren laughed. She kissed the girl's cheeks. "But I love your eyes. They are my favorite."

The girl perked up. "R-really?"

Lauren nodded her head. "I love them. And I love you."

The girl giggled. "I love you Mama."

Lauren kissed the girl's cheek. "I love you too Emily."

Emily wrapped her arms around Lauren's neck and squeezed.

"I love you so much. You are my whole world."

Emily giggled.

Lauren smiled, not knowing that was the last time she was going to hug her daughter.

 


	2. Heartbeat #2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Lauren's friends are there when she needs them the most.

 

"Wake up," Camila said, kicking Lauren's chair. The older girl woke up with a start. She glared at the laughing girl.

"Bitch," Lauren told her, rubbing her eyes.

"Why are you so tired?" Ally asked, a small frown her face.

Lauren sighed. "I didn't sleep much."

"What do you do all night?" Dinah asked, looking at the girl.

Lauren just laughed. "Wouldn't you like to know."

"I don't think we want to," Normani told her, shaking her head.

Lauren, Camila, Dinah, Normani and Ally all became friends their sophomore year, after Lauren moved to the town. They were all assigned a project and failed it when they spent most of their time singing and dancing than doing the work. 

Lauren was always a mystery to them. She always had a tired energy around her, but as of late, she had been even more tired. Lauren had bags under her eyes. The girl was getting paler and seemed to be losing weight.

But every time any of the girls would bring it up, Lauren would tell them not to worry. But they did, every time.

-

"Left," Normani heard. She pushed the nob next to the steering wheel.

The four girls had decided one day to follow Lauren. They were slightly annoyed by the mystery.

"Is that the hospital, is that where we're going?" Ally asked, trying to look out the window.

Normani shrugged. She followed Lauren's car as it pulled up in the parking lot of the hospital. They parked close, but not too close of Lauren and followed her into the hospital.

The elevator was the hardest part, but it worried them how Lauren seemed to know most of the doctors.

Dinah pulled up her hood and entered the elevator with Lauren. Normani waited for the floor number from her. Once they got it, they went to the floor.

The floor they got out of was familiar to Normani, and it caused her heart to drop. She remembered when she'd visit her mother when she was little, when her mother had cancer.

They saw Lauren walk into a room. They looked at each other before walking towards the door. Looking inside, they saw Lauren sit down on a chair. The girl grabbed a younger girl's hand. The little girl looked to be sleeping.

Normani looked at the other girls, not sure if they should show themselves, but Lauren answered for them.

"I know you guys have been following me," Lauren said, turning to smile at the girls.

"How did you know?" Dinah asked, looking at the other girls who looked surprised.

"You guys don't think I would notice a car following me? And I've seen Mani's car a bunch of times."

The four girls laughed. They entered the room.

"Who's this Lo?" Camila asked, signaling towards the sleeping girl.

Lauren ran her hand through her daughter's hair. She smiled softly. "This is Emily, my daughter."

"How did we not know about her?" Dinah asked, frowning, "how old is she?"

Lauren shrugged. "She's four. I was going to tell you guys, but then she got sick and I just, I never got around to."

"How bad?" Normani asked, looking at the girl.

"Stage four."

"Lauren," Normani whispered, feeling tears in her eyes.

Lauren stared at her daughter. The little girl was whispering softy, talking about flying pumpkins.

"Is she doing chemo?" Ally asked, sitting next to the young mother.

Lauren shook her head. "No. It wasn't helping."

"What's going to happen?" Camila questioned.

Lauren shrugged. "She's going to stay home. Make her as comfortable for the inevitable."

"Lauren-"

"It's okay. I've come to terms with it," Lauren said, looking at her friends. "She's not gonna hurt anymore."

None of the other girls said anything. They knew them just being there was enough.

-

"Auntie Manibear, you're silly," Emily giggled while her mommy's best friend painted her nails.

Normani gasped, "Me, silly? I'm not Mila."

Emily giggled loudly as Camila fell. "Yes, Auntie Camzi is silly."

Lauren smiled, hugging her daughter.

"Is Auntie Ally bringinging cookies?" Emily asked, looking at her mother.

"Yup, but we have to make sure Auntie Dinah doesn't eat them all like last time," Camila said, glaring at the blond.

"I gave Lo's Mini-me some," Dinah said, holding her hands up.

"Mommy, I want lotsa friends when I get big," the younger Jauregui said, looking at her pink nails.

Lauren's smile got sad. She felt tears fill up her eyes. "Of course. But Mani, and Camz, and DJ, and Ally are your friends too."

"And Sofi, and Regina," Camila added, looking at the girl. She offered her a piece of her banana.

"They like me?" Emily asked, looking up at Camila and Dinah.

"They  _love_  you," Camila said, "just like we do."

"I brought cookies," Ally said from the doorway.

Emily cheered, running to Ally, feeling happy. Lauren just watched at her.

-

Lauren rubbed her eyes. She stretched her body, having slept uncomfortably. She looked over and smiled when she saw her daughter sleeping next to her. She was the reason for her back ache, her neck feeling off. But was worth it for her.

"Wake up Emmy," Lauren said, turning to her daughter, "Auntie Camz and Sofi are meeting us at the beach."

Emily had been sleeping more and more. It worried Lauren, but the girl always had energy after waking up.

But as Lauren stared at her daughter, the more her heart dropped. "Emily," Lauren whispered, tears filling in her eyes as she stared at the motionless girl. "Emily," Lauren tried, reaching over to touch the girl. Her daughter's body had gotten colder the sicker she got, her body unable to produce heat. But as Lauren touched her, all she felt was cold. Lauren felt like she couldn't breath. She lowered her head, placing her ear against her daughter's chest, hoping to feel, hoping to hear a heartbeat.

Lauren's scream woke the whole house up.

-

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

Lauren stared at the wall, her eyes red from all her crying. Headphones on her ears. She couldn't listen to people tell her they were sorry for her loss. But Lauren didn't want their  _fucking sorries_ , she just wanted her baby back.

She felt more tears fill up her eyes as she listened to the recording her her daughter's heartbeat from the ultrasound.

There was a knock on the door. She didn't respond, her eyes sticking on the wall.

The door opened, and Lauren's best friends walked in. She felt their presences around her. She felt Camila climb on the bed and wrap her arms around her.

Lauren just closed her eyes. She felt someone pull her headphones off her head.

"Lauren," she heard Normani whispered.

The girl just started to cry. She felt her friends pull her up and hug her.

"I want her back. I just want my baby back."

Her back was rubbed, and she cried into their arms. She cried until she couldn't anymore. She cried until she fell asleep. 

-

"How is she?" Clara asked, all the guest had left, leaving the immediate family and Lauren's friends.

"She's sleeping," Ally whispered, helping clean up.

"Have you told Sofi yet?" Dinah asked, her voice low, "Regina cried all night."

Camila nodded. "She cried too. She wanted to come and be here for Lauren, but mom didn't want her to."

"How do we help Lauren?" Normani asked, looking at the girl's parents.

Mike sighed. "Just be here with her. She's going to need all of us."

-

"I'm not hungry."

It had been a few days since the funeral, and Lauren hadn't left her room. She'd lay on the bed and hug Emily's teddy bear. Lauren would say it felt like hugging her daughter.

"You have to eat," Taylor whispered, running her hand through her big sister's head.

"I'm not hungry."

"Lauren-"

"I'm not hungry!" Lauren snapped, slapping the plate off Taylor's hands. The food fell, splattering all over the ground. "Get out."

"Not until you eat something."

"Get out!" She pushed her sister off the bed.

Clara, Mike and Chris all ran into the room. Chris helped Taylor off the ground while Clara and Mike hugged their eldest.

"I, I don't want to eat," Lauren whispered, her voice emotionless.

"Lauren, you have to," Mike told her.

Lauren looked at her parents. "Why did she have to die?"

"We don't know Lauren, we don't know," Clara told her, wishing she could help her daughter.

Lauren started to sob. "It hurts. I just want it to stop."

"Lauren-"

"I just want it to stop," Lauren cried, leaning into her mother, "make it stop mommy."

Clara just help Lauren while she cried. "We'll get help. We'll help you get better."

-

"You're gonna have to let go some day."

Two months had passed and Lauren was still as reclusive.

"This isn't healthy Lo," Dinah whispered, looking at the girl, "you're gonna have to move on."

"Fuck you," Lauren snapped, glaring at the four girls, "fuck all of you. You just want me to forget her. I can't!"

"We're not saying to forget her. We want you to get better. We don't want to lose you too," Camila said, looking at the older girl.

Lauren's body sagged. "I couldn't keep her alive. I, I had a child and I should have protected her and I just let her die. I let her die."

"Things happen we can't explain Lauren. I wish we could, but we can't explain this. But we saw how much you  _loved_  her Lauren. You did everything you could," Ally whispered, looking at the young girl. "Sometimes we can't explain things, and it hurts, but you have to keep fighting."

"Live for your daughter. Making you laugh was her favorite thing ever," Normani said, getting Lauren's attention. "She always light up when you laughed."

"Keep her memory alive by living Lo," Dinah told her, getting a nod.

Lauren rubbed her eyes. She grabbed her locket that a picture of her daughter. "I, I'm sorry."

Camila shook her head. "You lost someone important. You have a free pass."

Lauren leaned into Normani. She let out a breath. She looked at the photo. "I'm sorry, I love you," she whispered, pressing the locket against her chest.

-

_"I should have been scared. Fourteen and pregnant. I should have been freaking out, but I wasn't. I wasn't scared. I wasn't freaking out. I didn't get sick during my pregnancy. I think I had an easy one. And when she was born, it stayed easy. Emily, she loved making friends. She loved laughing, she loved life. And it's fucking sucks that she never got to live it fully. Emily was my baby, and she'll always be my baby. And I'm going to miss her for the rest of my life. But she's not hurting. She's able to be happy, wherever she is. People say there is a reason for everything. I hope there is because I can't think of one. And I'm scared. I'm scared that her memory will disappear. I'm scared I'll forget her smile, her laugh," Lauren stopped. She looked around the church, seeing her family and friends. She looked to her side, seeing the closed casket. She looked at the picture of Emily. A smile on her face. She exhaled, feel her body tremble. "I'm sorry. I love you."_


	3. Heartbeat #3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One night changed Shawn and Lauren’s lives forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pairings: Shawren, Laucy and Shawmila.

“I’m really sorry this happened,” Shawn whispered, leaning back on the chair.

Lauren smiled. She gave his hand a pat. She turned to look at the doctor, that was getting the machine ready. She turned back to him. “It’s on both of us.”

“This is going to be cold,” the doctor said, getting the gel ready. Lauren whimpered when she felt it on her stomach. Lauren watched the monitor, waiting for a picture. She felt the doctor move that device around, until she stopped at a peanut.

“Is that her?” Shawn asked, leaning forward.

“That right there is your baby. Would you like to know the gender?”

“Can we hear the heart again?” Lauren asked, looking at the doctor.

He nodded, moving around. Lauren closed her eyes, hearing the rhythmic thumps. She could feel tears fill her eyes as she listened to her baby’s heartbeats. She opened her eyes and turned to Shawn, who seemed lost in the sound as well. The smile on his face was the biggest he’d ever seen.

The doctor smiled. “Would you like to know the gender?”

Lauren nodded her head, a smile on her face.

“Congratulations, you’re having a girl!”

-

Lauren watched as Shawn showed Camila the ultrasound.

Lauren and Shawn had a momentary lapse of judgement. Lauren’s friend, Camila, had feelings for Shawn. And at a party, the two got drunk and lost their virginities to each other. The two had been friends before, and had some mutual attraction. But never did anything about it until that moment. Both remembered what had happened. Both consented.

The next morning, both of them decided their relationship would end there.

Camila wasn’t happy when she heard. She was angry. She didn’t talk to Lauren until one day when the green eyed girl knocked on her door with tears streaming down her face. Lauren told her about missing her period and how she didn’t think she used protection. Camila held her and told her it was going to be okay. That if Lauren wanted, Camila would be with her when she took a test.

When the test came out positive, Lauren and Camila told Shawn and her parents. There were a lot of tears and lot of hugs.

Lauren started to close to Lucy, and shared a kiss. Lauren told her about the pregnancy and about how she was going to keep her baby. She gave Lucy the chance to run, telling her that Lauren wouldn’t be mad or anything. She didn’t want Lucy to feel like she was stuck. Lucy decided to stay, saying if life wasn’t going to be interesting, then you weren’t living. Lucy kissed Lauren and then kissed above her belly button.

Camila and Shawn bonded over Lauren’s unborn baby. One thing let to another and they kissed. Lauren was so happy when she heard.

A few months later, Lauren was showing and dating Lucy. Camila and Shawn strong together.

(Dinah, Ally and Normani always had popcorn, enjoying the drama.)

-

“Have you thought of names?” Shawn asked one day, both laying on Lauren’s bed. The door was wide open. Shawn was on “Lauren duty”. He’d just stay with her, help with whatever she needed.

“Not really, have you?”

“A little,” Shawn answered, turning to look at the mother of his daughter.

“Hit me,” Lauren told him, her eyes closed. She had started to become tired, the baby being restless at night.

“You can give her a first name, but I was hoping you’d give her my last name as her middle,” Shawn whispered, giving her a smile.

Lauren opened her eyes and looked at him, a frown on her face.

Shawn turned so he could stare at the ceiling. “She’d going to be more yours than mine. And I want her to have a part of mine name incase she or you decide to take another name.”

Lauren didn’t answer, just reached over and held his hand. Shawn smiled and closed his eyes.

-

Lucy was asleep when her phone woke her up. It wouldn’t stop vibrating. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. She saw Camila’s name and answered it.

“Lauren’s in the hospital! Something is wrong!”

-

Lucy was pacing. She was told that Lauren had woken up to stomach pains, but the baby wasn’t due. Lauren was bleeding and the doctors couldn’t find the baby’s heartbeat.

Lucy looked around, seeing Lauren and Shawn’s families and friends. Taylor, Chris, and Aaliyah were asleep on the chairs. The parents were talking on the side. Normani, Dinah, and Ally were sitting close to them. Shawn bit his nails, rocking slowly. Camila was rubbing his back. The boy’s eyes were red and puffy, having cried for his child.

No one knew anything except that things weren’t looking great and they were trying to save the baby and Lauren. The doctors were given the orders of saving Lauren if it came down to choosing between the two.

The doctor came out, asking for the family. Mike, Clara and Shawn went to the doctor.

“Why does he get to talk to the doctor?” Lucy asked, jealousy evident in her voice.

Dinah looked up at Lucy. “He’s the father Luce. Of course he’s going to be here. He wants to know about his daughter.”

Lucy turned back to Shawn and Lauren’s parents. She could see the three nodding at whatever the doctor was saying.

When the doctor walked away, Clara collapsed into her husband’s arms and cried. Shawn let out a breath.

“What’s going on?” Camila asked, her voice filled with fear, as she reached for her boyfriend.

Shawn just leaned into Camila, looking smaller than ever. Lucy felt guilty for feeling jealous, seeing how much of a toll everything was taking on him.

“They’re fine. Lauren and the baby are okay. I’m a father,” Shawn whispered, smiling at the group. “They are transporting Lauren and our baby. We’ll get to see her soon.”

“You should go in first,” Mike told Shawn, respect and fondness in his eyes.

“Are you sure?”

“Like you said, you’re a father. You should see your daughter first,” the new grandfather told him, smiling.

Shawn’s eyes shifted to Lucy, his eyes asking for permission. Lucy smiled and gave him a nod.

-

The doctor used a lot of big words. But all he caught was the fact that his baby girl and Lauren were both alive. They were both going to stay in the hospital for a few days to make sure there weren’t anything they miss, but it was looking positive. Tests were ran and their baby seemed healthy. The second Lauren woke up was the moment Shawn was allowed to go into their room. Shawn rushed into the room and saw Lauren holding a bundle in her arms. Lauren looked up at him and smiled.

Shawn looked down at the baby in her arms with tears in her eyes. He reached down and placed his finger on his little girl’s hand.

“She’s here,” Shawn whispered, looking up at Lauren. The new mother just offered him the little girl. Shawn held her in his arms. He kissed the top of her head. “She’s beautiful.”

“She is,” Lauren whispered, her eyes drooping.

“What’s her name?” Shawn asked, his eyes never leaving his daughter..

“Emily. Emily Rose Mendes-Jauregui,” Lauren told him. Shawn’s head snapped to her, his eyes wide.

“You chose my name first,” Shawn whispered, his eyes wide and filled with joy.

“You’re her father. You’ve been there every step of the way. And you’re going to continue to be in her life forever. She should have her father’s name.”

Shawn’s fingers stroked his daughter’s cheek. “I will love you until the end of time.”

Lauren’s eyes closed and she fell asleep. Shawn introduced his daughter to his parents, girlfriend and friends. Everyone heard the pride in his voice.

Camila held her boyfriend’s daughter. Lucy held her girlfriend’s daughter. Both instantly fell in love, seeing bits of their significant other in the baby.

Everyone left, leaving Emily and her parents. Shawn didn’t want to leave. He watched as the nurses showed Lauren how to breastfeed. He leaned to change her diaper. He held her when she got restless. He watched as Lauren talked to her.

-

Lauren watched as her baby’s chest raised and dropped. She looked over her to see Shawn’s chest rise and fall. She smiled, both the baby and the teen were asleep. Lauren reached over and stroked her daughter’s cheek.

She let out a little yawn, thinking about taking a little nap. She closed her eyes, knowing her baby was with her and she was alive. Her little heart beating just like her own.

-

After high school, Lauren, Shawn and Camila got an apartment together. Lauren and Shawn went to college. Camila decided that college wasn’t for her and she wanted to go into the music business. Lucy had gotten into another school in another state. Lauren and Lucy decided to try the long distance.

Lauren and Shawn watched their daughter take her first step. They heard her first word, (it was  _no,_  and boy did that girl love to say that). They potty trained her. They helped her learn to ride a bike. They took turns putting dollars under her pillow when her teeth fell.

After college, Lucy moved into the apartment. They all got jobs in their respective fields. They lived together like a weird family, but a family nevertheless.

Shawn talked to Emily when he wanted to ask Camila to marry him. She was the flower girl and stood at her father’s side.

Lucy asked her for permission to marry Lauren. She was another flower girl. She was in every picture.

Emily loved when she got her own room when Shawn, Camila, Lucy and Lauren decided to get a house together.

Emily had a daddy, a mommy, and two mamas. She was happy when she learned her daddy and mama Cami were having a baby. She was ecstatic when Lucy became pregnant from a sperm donor. Emily got a little brother and sister. She was there for her future siblings that would come.

Lauren sat with her when Emily got her first crush. Shawn and Lauren hugged her when her heart broke for the first time. Shawn got the Father talk with her first boyfriend. Lauren got to listen while Emily talked about her date.

Her parents sat on the bleachers when Emily got her diplomas. Lauren and Shawn cheered when Emily got into the college she wanted to go to. They cried when Emily moved out of state.

Shawn was able to give Emily’s future boyfriend permission to marry his little girl. He was able to walk her down the aisle. Lauren was the first person Emily called when she found out she was expecting. Lauren and Shawn told her about their experience after having her. They were able to hold their first grandchild.

Shawn and Lauren never told anyone, not even each other, but they liked to look at the sonogram. They’d look for the recording of the heartbeat and listen to it.

That fateful night could have ended in many different ways. They were just grateful it ended in a happy note.

-

“Mommy, I love you,” four year old Emily said one day, looking up at Lauren, a toothy grin on her face. She looked over at Shawn. “I love you daddy.”

Shawn laughed. Lauren and Shawn each kissed one of her cheeks. They both told her they loved her and that she was their whole world.

And she was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S.: Shawn was Emily's father in the other two parts as well.


End file.
